Pain Med Use Among Women Up 415%

The claim: More North Americans die from painkillers than cars, says Nicholas King, PhD, who is the lead author of a scientific review published in the American Journal of Public Health examining opioid use and mortality. In 2010, 16,000 deaths in the U.S. were contributed to prescription pain medication.

The research: King and his colleagues at McGill University analyzed 47 scientific articles to determine possible causes for the increase of opioid use (think: hydrocodone, oxycodone, hydromorphone, and methadone), over the last two decades. The growth is staggering: Use among women has increased 415% and among men by 265%.

What it means: “Unfortunately, determining why someone has died while using prescription painkillers isn’t as straightforward as when someone is killed by a car,” says King, an associate professor of biomedical ethics and epidemiology at McGill University in Canada. “There are a lot of layers as to why and how someone is taking these drugs—racial, socioeconomic, geographical, etc.”

His review identifies three categories that contribute to increased use: prescriber behavior (e.g., how your doctor acts), user behavior and characteristics (e.g., how you act and feel), and environmental and systematic determinants (e.g., policies, regulations, demographics). Just proving opioid use and possible death isn’t so simple.

The bottom line: This research sets the stage for studies to examine the issue more. Until then, if you must take prescription pain meds, know that you can do so safely. First, be educated, says King. “Be aware of which are weak and strong opioids.” In addition, he suggests considering who is prescribing the opioid to you. Doctors in palliative care and oncologists are managing their patients’ pain often; your primary care provider may not, he says. So it is important to have open communication with her while you are taking the drug so she can monitor your dosage. Finally, make sure that you're having your prescriptions filled at the same pharmacy to avoid potentially deadly drug interactions. “Opioids are much more dangerous when taken with other substances, including alcohol,” King says.